Why Should We Thank God Before He Answers Our Prayers?

Should we thank God after receiving His blessings? Or should we thank Him even before we receive the answer to our prayers?

Our common reasoning inclines us to do that first. Whenever we receive something, we feel grateful and we thank God for His blessings.

However, the example shown by Jesus Christ tells us something else:

“Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as much of the fish as they wanted. When they had had their fill, he said to his disciples, ‘Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted.’ So they collected them, and filled twelve wicker baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves that had been more than they could eat.” – John 6:11-13 (NABRE)

Jesus thanked the Father even before the bread and fish were multiplied!

If this is the case, shouldn’t we thank God also even before we receive His blessings?

Here are some of the reasons why we should thank God even before He answers our prayers:

1. It shows our faith in His Divine Providence

Praying in thanksgiving shows how deeply we believe that God can provide us with everything we need. We show that we believe in His power and that nothing is impossible with Him.

2. It shows our humility, acknowledging God as the Source of every blessing

Giving thanks develops our humility. When we surrender ourselves to God and thank Him even before He answers us, we profess our belief in His goodness. We show that we believe in Him as the Good Father who loves and cares deeply for His children.

3. It acknowledges that God heard us before we even prayed

We thank Him in advance because God also knew in advance what we needed even before we uttered our prayers.

Doesn’t a father know what his children would ask even before they say what they need?

4. It reminds us that the answer could already be on the way

Since God has already heard us even before we prayed, our prayer of gratitude reminds us that the answer could already be coming. In fact, it could arrive at any moment. Sometimes, it has already arrived but we have yet to know that it is there.

5. It is often the key to a miracle

A prayer of faith coming from a grateful heart is often the very key that opens the door to miracles!

Faith makes a way. It is like the bleeding woman who believed that if she were just able to touch Jesus’ cloak, she would get well.

“Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.” – Mark 5:34 (NABRE)

George Müller, an evangelist who cared for 10,000 children during his lifetime once had a problem in an orphanage with about 300 children. That day, they ran out of food to eat. But rather than despairing of the situation, George invited everyone to sit. He then prayed in thanksgiving and waited for God to provide.

Later on, a baker knocked and informed George that he couldn’t sleep that night and thought that he should bake bread for them that morning. Then came a milkman whose cart broke along the way. He said that instead of letting the milk spoil by the time the cart was fixed, he would like to give all the milk away.

Thus, everyone was fed through God’s miraculous provision.

To Pray Without Ceasing

As Christians, we are urged to pray without ceasing. Thus, we must pray not only when things seem to work out well. We must pray not only when we have received our blessings but even before we receive them.

By praying and being grateful to God, we deepen our relationship with our Father. We acknowledge His power, wisdom and love. We profess our faith that whatever happens, He watches over us and will always provide for His children.

“Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!”
– Psalm 95:2 (NRSVCE)